202 GUTDO GUESTICELLI

II. CANZONE

Of the gentle Heart

WITHIN the gentle heart Love shelters him

As birds within the green shade of the grove.
Before the gentle heart, in nature's scheme,
Love "was not, nor the gentle heart ere Love.

For with the sun, at once,
So sprang the light immediately ; nor was

Its birth before the sun's.
And Love hath his effect in gentleness

Of very self ; even as
Within the middle fire the heat's excess. 10

The fire of Love comes to the gentle heart

Like as its virtue to a precious stone ;
To which no star its influence can impart
Till it is made a pure thing by the sun :

For when the sun hath smit
From out its essence that which there was vile,

The star endoweth it.
And so the heart created by God's breath

Pure, true, and clean from guile,
A woman, like a star, enamoureth. 20

In gentle heart Love for like reason is

For which the lamp's high flame is fanned and bow'd :
Clear, piercing bright, it shines for its own bliss ;
Nor would it burn there else, it is so proud.

For evil natures meet
With Love as it were water met with flame,

As cold abhorring heat.
Through gentle heart Love doth a track divine,—

Like knowing like ; the same
As diamond runs through iron in the mine. 30